Solar for holiday parks, campsites and marinas
| Building or area | What uses power | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reception, shop, bar and restaurant | Lighting, tills, refrigeration, kitchens | Standard-rated for VAT |
| Pools and leisure buildings | Pumps, filtration, ventilation, lighting | Large roofs, high daytime use |
| Self-catering lodges and lets | Guests' lighting, cooking, hot water | Residential for the VAT relief |
| Shower blocks and laundries | Hot water, washers, dryers, lighting | Busiest in the morning and through the season |
| Car parks and spare ground | Canopies and ground arrays | More likely to need planning permission |
| Marina buildings and pontoons | Chandlery, boatyard, offices, shore power | Equipment rated for coastal conditions |
Seasonal use and summer peaks
Panels in the UK produce far more in summer than in winter, and most parks are busiest from spring to early autumn. That match is the reason solar suits leisure sites. Out of season, demand falls and more output is exported: worth knowing before sizing the system for August.
- Size for the shoulder months as well as the peak. So the system isn't mostly exporting outside July and August
- Look at the whole year's bills. Or twelve months of half-hourly data, to see the seasonal swing
- Export. What you don't use can be sold under the Smart Export Guarantee in Great Britain
- Batteries. Can move daytime output into the evening, when guests return
See half-hourly data and commercial battery storage.
Find out what your park's roofs and land could do: book a free site survey.
Book a free site surveyVAT: self-catering lets count as residential
HMRC's Notice 708/6 lists "self-catering holiday accommodation" among the residential accommodation covered by the zero rate for energy-saving materials, which includes solar panels and, since February 2024, batteries. It also covers static caravans used as a place of permanent habitation on a permanent residential park, while hotels, inns and similar establishments are standard-rated (Notice 708/6). The zero rate runs until 31 March 2027, then 5%. Ask for separate prices for lets and for the park's commercial buildings. More in VAT on solar panels.
Ground-mounted and carport options
Parks often have more ground than roof. A ground array on a spare field, or a canopy over parking, can be larger and better placed than panels spread across many small roofs. Both bring cable runs back to the main supply and usually planning permission, so the survey looks at distances and the electricity connection as well as the land.
EV charging for guests
Guests increasingly arrive in electric cars. The Workplace Charging Scheme, open until 31 March 2027, is open to small accommodation businesses, and for them there is no restriction on who may use the parking: customers, guests, visitors, staff or others. It covers up to 75% of the cost, capped at £500 per socket for installations completed from 1 April 2026, up to 40 sockets across your sites (Workplace Charging Scheme). Chargepoint equipment bought before April 2027 can also qualify for a 100% first-year allowance (GOV.UK).
Planning in rural and coastal areas
Many parks sit in or near protected landscapes. Rooftop panels are often permitted development within limits, but ground arrays and canopies are more likely to need permission, and National Parks and other protected areas bring extra rules. Our planning permission guide covers England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Sources
HMRC Notice 708/6, the Workplace Charging Scheme grant listing and GOV.UK first-year allowances were read on 2 November 2026.
- HMRC VAT Notice 708/6: energy-saving materials (self-catering holiday accommodation, 2.21)
- Find a grant: Workplace Charging Scheme (open until 31 March 2027)
- GOV.UK: 100% first-year allowances (equipment for EV charging points)
General information, not tax advice.